{{Short description|Italian fashion designer (1941–1983)}}[[File:Walter Albini ICAR.jpg|thumb|Albini in 1971, photographed by Gian Paolo Barbieri]] '''Gualtiero Angelo Albini''' (3 March 1941 – 31 May 1983), known professionally as '''Walter Albini''' was an Italian fashion designer who eventually started his own eponymous fashion house and became known for his gender fluid designs, with his collections featuring both male and female models.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-09 |title=Bidayat to relaunch Walter Albini |url=https://www.voguebusiness.com/fashion/bidayat-to-relaunch-walter-albini |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Vogue Business |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2023, the rights to his fashion house were bought by Bidayat, an investment company created by Rachid Mohamed Rachid.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-05-09 |title=Could Alessandro Michele be the Creative Director Behind Walter Albini's Return? |url=https://hypebeast.com/2023/5/alessandro-michele-walter-albini-bidayat-creative-director-tiktok-rumors |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Hypebeast}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Pengarna |title=Founder |url=https://bidayat.com/pages/founder |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Bidayat Group |language=en}}</ref>

== Early life == Albini was born on 3 March 1941 in Busto Arszio, Italy as Gualtiero Angelo Albini.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guia |date=2023-05-19 |title=5 things about Walter Albini every fashion student should know {{!}} I'M FIRENZE DIGEST |url=https://imfirenzedigest.com/2023/05/19/5-things-about-walter-albini-every-fashion-student-should-know/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=Istituto Marangoni Firenze Digest |language=en-US}}</ref>

After graduating from the ''Istituto d’ Arte per il disegno di Moda'' (Institute of Art, Design and Fashion) in Turin (where he was the only and first male student)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-12-30 |title=DESIGN STUDY: WALTER ALBINI |url=https://www.bagtazocollection.com/blog/2015/12/28/designer-study-walter-albini |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=Bagtazo |language=en-US}}</ref> at age 17 he moved to Rome and started making sketches of fashion shows for different magazines and newspapers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-06 |title=Albini Walter (1941 - 1983) |url=https://fashion.mam-e.it/albini-water/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=fashion.mam-e.it |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1961 he moved to Paris, France and continued making fashion sketches.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Mallon |first=Jackie |date=2016-03-30 |title=Fashion's Unsung Designers: Walter Albini |url=https://fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/fashion-s-unsung-designers-walter-albini/2016033019903 |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=FashionUnited |language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life and career == During his time in Paris he met Coco Chanel and worked alongside Karl Lagerfeld.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2023-05-13 |title=Il grande ritorno di Walter Albini, padre spirituale della moda italiana |url=https://www.elle.com/it/moda/ultime-notizie/a43862102/walter-albini-storia-rilancio-marchio/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=ELLE |language=it-IT}}</ref> He left Paris in 1965 and moved to Milan.

For his Autumn 1972 show at Milan Fashion Week, Albini designed for five different houses (Basile, Callaghan, Escargots, Misterfox and Sportfox) and displayed the collections all in one show, which occurred at the Sala d'Ora in the {{Ill|Circolo del Giardino|it|Società del Giardino}} and featured hundreds of models.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dazed |date=2010-01-26 |title=Prime Mover of Fashion |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/6347/1/prime-mover-of-fashion |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=Dazed |language=en}}</ref>

His Autumn/Winter 1973-74 show was held at the Caffè Florian in Venice.<ref name=":4" />

== Death == Walter Albini died on 31 May 1983 at age 42. His cause of death is presumably of AIDS.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petkanas |first=Christopher |date=2010-10-12 |title=The Great Heap Forward |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/the-great-heap-forward/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=T Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Revival == In 2023, the rights to his fashion house were bought by Bidayat, an investment company created by Rachid Mohamed Rachid who is the chairman of Valentino and Balmain.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> Bidayat also purchased the personal Walter Albini archive of Barbara Curti which the majority of was collected by her mother Marisa Curti, the archive includes pieces of clothing, costume jewellery, drawings, photographs and more.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-09 |title=Walter Albini Relaunch Confirmed |url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/luxury/walter-albini-relaunch-confirmed/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=The Business of Fashion |language=en}}</ref>

== Legacy == Albini has been credited as being the start of brands showing collections in Milan and not in Florence.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The rise of Milan's fashion, from 1971 to today |url=https://www.nssmag.com/en/article/17308 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=nss magazine |language=en}}</ref>

In the 1988 book ''Walter Albini, lo stile nella moda'', Karl Lagerfeld said that Albini had “splendid, perfect, impeccable drawings,” and that “He has been surpassed by others with more financial skills, but few can say to have his talent,”.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Zargani |first=Luisa |date=2023-07-21 |title=Carla Sozzani on Walter Albini, Pioneer of Italy's Ready-to-wear |url=https://wwd.com/fashion-news/designer-luxury/carla-sozzani-walter-albini-pioneer-italy-ready-to-wear-1235750595/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=WWD |language=en-US}}</ref>

Alessandro Michele stated that Albini was an inspiration for his F/W 2016 Menswear collection for Gucci.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rysman |first=Laura |date=2016-01-19 |title=In Milan, Gucci Celebrates the Delightfully Weird |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2016/01/19/t-magazine/in-milan-gucci-celebrates-the-delightfully-weird.html |access-date=2023-09-08 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Albini was featured in three episodes of the 2019 TV Show ''Made in Italy'', he was played by Gaetano Bruno. The show was directed by Luca Lucini and Ago Panini.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Ariston |date=2019-03-12 |title=Behind the Scenes With Directors of Fashion-Focused 'Made in Italy' TV Series |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/style/behind-scenes-directors-fashion-focused-made-italy-tv-series-1194134/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Why is it so hard to talk about fashion in TV series? |url=https://www.nssmag.com/en/article/24899 |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=nss magazine |language=en}}</ref>

It was announced in an interview by WWD that Carla Sozzani was planning an exhibition for May 2024 at the Museo del Tessuto in Prato, Italy.<ref name=":2" />

== References == {{reflist}}

== Further reading ==

* (1988). ''Walter Albini, lo stile nella moda''. Zanfi Editori. * Frisa, Maria Luisa; Tonchi, Stefano (2010). ''Walter Albini and His Times: All Power to the Imagination.'' Marsilio. {{ISBN|88-317-9968-1}}

== External links ==

* [https://www.walteralbini.org Official website] * [https://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/designers/walter-albini/ Walter Albini] at FMD

{{DEFAULTSORT:Albini, Walter}} Category:Italian fashion designers Category:1941 births Category:1983 deaths Category:People from Busto Arsizio